The religious life of the Zuni child

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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OP ETHNOLOGY

THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

BY

MRS. TII^LY E. STEVENSON.

533

CONTENTS.

Page.

Brief account of ZuSi mythology 539

Birth customs 545

Involuntary initiation into the Kok-to 547

Voluntary initiatiou into the Kok-ko 5.53

535

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

Platk XX. Zuni masks aud Ko-ye-me-shi 540

XXI. Group of Sa-la-mo-bl-ya masks 548

XXII. Zuni sand altar in Kiva of the North 550

XXIII. Oh-he-i-que, Kiva of the East 552

537

THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNi CHILD.

By Mrs. Tilly B. Stevenson.

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF ZUNI MYTHOLOGY.

The Paeblo of Zuui is situated in Western 2Jew Mexico on the Eio
Zoni, a tributary of the Little Colorado Eiver. The Zurli have re-
sided in this region for several centuries. The peculiar geologic and
geographic character of the country surrounding them, as well as its
aridity, furnishes ample sources from which a barbarous people would
derive legendary and mythologic history. A brief reference to these
features is necessary to understand more fully the religious phases of
Zuni child life.

Three miles east of the Pueblo of Zuni is a conspicuously beautiful
mesa, of red and white sandstone, to-vra-yal Ian ne (corn mountain).
Upon this mesa are the remains of the old village of ZuSi. The
Zuni lived during a long period on this mesa, and it was here that
Coronado found tbem in the sixteenth century. Tradition tells that
they were driven by a great flood from the site they now occupy, which
is in the valley below the mesa, and that they resorted to the mesa for
protection from the rising waters. The waters rose to the very sum-
mit of the mesa, and to appease the aggressive element a human sacri-
fice was necessary. A youth and a maiden, son and daughter of two
priests, were thrown into this ocean. Two great pinnacles, which have
been carved from the main mesa by weathering influences, are looked
upon by the Zuni as the actual youth and maiden converted into stone,
and are appealed to as "father" and "mother." Many of the Zuni
legends and superstitions are associated with this mesa, while over its
summit are spread the extensive ruins of the long ago deserted village.
There are in many localities, around its precipitous sides and walls,
shrines aud groups of sacred objects which are constantly resorted to
by diflerent orders of the tribe. Some of the most interesting of these
are the most inaccessible. When easy of approach they are in such
secluded spots that a stranger might pass without dreaming of the
treasures within his reach. On the western side of this mesa are sev-
eral especially interesting shrines. About half way up the acclivity on
the west side an overhanging rock forms the base of one of the pin-
nacles referred to. This rock is literally honeycombed with holes, from

539

510 RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

one-half to three-fourths of au inch in diameter. I visi ted the spot in
the fall of 18S4, with Professors E, B. Tylor and H. N. M oseley, of Ox-
ford, England, and Mr, G. K. Gilbert, of the United States Geological
Survey. These gentlemen could not determine whether the tiny ex-
cavations were originally made by human hands or by some other
agency. The Indian's only answer when questioned was, "They ha
long to the old; they were made by the gods." Hundreds of these
holes contain bits of cotton and wool from garments. In the side of
this rock there are larger spaces, in which m iniature vases, filled with
sand, are placed. The sand is ground by rubbing stones from the same
rock. The vases of sand, and also the fragments of wool and cotton,
are offerings at the feet of the " mothei' " rock. Here, too, can be seen a
quantity of firewood heaped as shown in the right-hand corner of the
illustration. Each man and woman deposited a piece, tliat he or she
might always have plenty of wood for heat and light. Some three
hundred feet above is another shrine, directly attached to the "father"
rock, and to the white man difll cult of access. Here I found many
offerings of plume sticks (Tellk-tkinawe).

Before entering upon the purely mythologic phases of Zuni child life
I will present a brief sketch of some of the Zuni beliefs. There are
thirteen secret orders in Zuni, in many of which women and children
are conspicuous, besides the purely mythologic order of the Kok-ko.
All boys are initiated into this order, while but few girls enter it. It
is optional with a girl; she must never marry if she joins the Kok-ko,
and she is not requested to enter this order until she has arrived at such
age as to fully understand its grave responsibilities and requirements.

Let us follow the ZuSi tradition of the ancient time, when these peo-
ple first came to this world. In journeying hither they passed through
four worlds, all in the interior of this, the passageway from darkness
into light being through a large reed. From the inner world they were
led by the two little war gods Ah-ai u-ta and Ma-a-se-we, twin brothers,
sons of the Sun, who were sent by the Sun to bring these people to his
presence. They reached this world in early morning, and seeing the
morning star they rejoiced and said to the war gods : " We see your
father, of whom you have told us." " Xo," said the gods, " this is the
warrior who comes before our father;" and when the sun arose the peo-
ple fell upon the earth and bowed their heads in fear. All their tradi-
tions point to the distant land of their appearance in this world as being
in the far northwest; from there they were acocompanied by Ah-ai-u-ta
and Ma-a-.se-we. These little gods occupy important positions in Zuiii
myth and legend. After long journeying, it was decided that the Priest
Doctor (Ka wi-mo sa) should send his son and his daughter in advance
to discover some favorable spot upon which to build a village. The
youth and the maiden finally ascended a peak from which to have an
extended view of the country. " Rest here, ray sister, for you are tired,"
said the youth, "and I will go alone." From fatigue, the girl soon sank

STEVENSON.] TRADITIONAL ORIGIN OF THE ZUNI. 541

into a slumber, and when the youth returned he was impressed with the
surpassing loveliness of his sister. They remained for a time on this
mountain, and at their union they were transformed — the youth into a
hideous looking creature, the Ko-yeme-shi (Plate XX) ; the ma den into
a being with snow white hair, the Ko-mo-k6t-si. The *Kothla-ma (her-
maphrodite) is the offspring of this unnatural union. The youth said to
his sister, "We are no longer like our people; we will therefore make
this mountain our home. But it is not well for us to be alone; wait here
and I will go and prepare a place for our others." Descending the
mountain, he swept his foot through the sands in the plains below, and
immediately a river flowed and a lake appeared, and in the depths of
this lake a group of houses, and in the center of this group a religious
assembly house, or kiva, provided with many windows, through which
those not privileged to enter the kiva might view the dance within.
After he performed this magic deed, he again joined his sister on the
mountain, from which they could see their people approaching. The
mountain has since that time borne the name of Ko-kok-shi — kok shi
meaning good.

The first of the Ah shi-wi, or Zuni, to cross this river were the An-shi-
i-que, or Bear gens; To-wa que, Corn gens; and *Ko oh-lok-ta-que, Sand
Hill Crane gens. Wh^n in the middle of the river the children of these
gentes were transformed into tortoises, frogs, snakes, ducks, and dragon-
flies. The children thus transformed, while tightly clinging to their
mother's necks, began to bite and pinch. The mothers, trembling with
fear, let them fall into the river. Ah-ai-uta and Ma-a se-we, missing the
children, inquired, "Where are the little ones?" The mothers replied,
" We were afraid and dropped them into the water." The war gods then
cried out to the remainder of the people, "Wait, wait until we speak
with you," and they told the women to be brave and cling tightly to
the children until they crossed the river. Obeying the gods' commands,
they carried the little ones over, though thfiy were transformed just as
the others. Upon reaching the opposit^l^We, they were again restored
to their natural forms, excepting their hands, which were duck- webbed.
These webs were cut with Ah-aiata's stone knife and thus restored to
perfect hands.

The mothers whose children fell into the waters were grieved and
refused to be comforted. The Priest Doctor was also grieved, and
said, "Alas, where have the little ones gonel" Ah-ai-il-ta and Ma-a-
se-we replied, "We will go and learn something of them," and upon
descending into the lake they found the beautiful kiva, in which the
children were assembled; but again they had been changed ; they were
no longer reptiles, but were of a similar type to the Ko-ye-me-shi and
Ko-m6-k6t-si, and since that time they have been worshiped as ances-
tral gods, bearing the name of Kok-ko; but the little war gods knew
them, and addressed them as "My children," and they replied, "Sit
down and tell us of our mothers." When they told them that their

542 EELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

mothers refused to be comforted at their loss, they said, "Tell our moth-
ers we are not dead, but live and sing in this beautiful place, which is
the home for them when they sleep. They will wake here and be al-
ways happy. And we are here to intercede with the Sun, oar father,
that he may give to our people rain, and the fruits of the earth, andall
that is good for them." The Ah-shi-wi then journeyed on, led by Ah-
ai-u-ta and Ma-a-se-we, to the present site of Zuni. Many, however,
lingered at a spring some fifteen miles west of Zuiii, and there estab-
lished the village Tkap-yue-na (Hot Spring).

The Ko-ye-me-shi and Ko-mo-kSt-si passed down through the interior
of the mountain into the depths of the lake, the waters of everlasting hap-
piness. In the passageway are four chambers, where the couple tar-
ried on their way and where at the present time the two priests of the
Kok-ko rest in tlieir journey to the sacred waters. So credulous are
the people that the priests delude them into the belief that they actually
pass through the mountain to the lake.

Having heard of the wonderful cave in this mountain, our little party
visited the place, prepared to explore it. Mr. Stevenson and Mr. H. L.
Turner entered the fissure in the rock and squeezed through the crevice
for sixteen or eighteen feet to where the rock was so solid that they both
determined no human creature could penetrate farther. They examined
the place most carefully by means of an artificial light. Through a
small aperture stones could be thrown tp a depth from which no sound
returned, but excepting this solitary opening all was solid, immovable
rock. In tliis cave many plume sticks were gathered. Near the open-
ing of the cave, or fissure, is a shrine to the Kok-ko, which must be very
old, and over and around it are hundreds of the plume sticks and tur-
quoise and shell beads.

I would mention here a little incident illustrative of the superstitious
dread these Indians entertain of violating the priestly commands. We
found it very difficult to persuade an old Zuiii guide, who had visited
the sacred salt lake, the mountain of the war gods, and other places of
interest with us (to these he had gone by special permission of the High
Priest), to accompany us to the spirit lake and the mountain of the
Kok-ko. Our persuasive powers were almost exhausted ere we could in-
duce him to guide us to them, but having consented he was willing to go
even if he should be punished by death. He was a man renowned for
bravery, but he was so overcome bj' his superstitious fears that his
voice sank to a whisper and finally became scarcely audible. The morn-
ing of theday on which wereachedthis place, the old man, who had been
riding by my side, ahead of the rest of the party, suddenly halted and
said in a half angry voice, "Why do I go ahead ? I am not the chief
of this party. Those who belong at the head must go to the head."
And he would not move until Mr. Stevenson and I went in advance.
By this change he sought to transfer the responsibility to us. Finally
he rode up to us and said in a whisper, " We will camp here." The

8TEVEKS0N.1 EXPLORATION OP THE SPIRIT LAKE. 543

whole expression of the old man's face was that of ghastly terror. I
was much annoj-ed, for I thought that, at the eleventh hour, his fear had
overcome his desire to gratify us. Just then a Mexican lad on horse-
back approached; we were all mounted. I asked the lad, "Is there a
lake near by f He replied, '< Yes, a half a mile off." The old Indian
said, speaking in a whisper, " And you have seen it?" " Yes." "And
yon were not afraid ?" " Ko ; why afraid ?" " And you looked into the
waters and you did not die?" With a look of bewilderment the youth
rode off. I signaled to the old man to accompany us to the lake. " 'So,
no; I would only die, and you must not go or you will die." " No," said
I, "we will not die if our hearts are good, and if you will not go it is
because your heart is not good and you are afraid."

We found the lake so surrounded by marshes that we could not get
within an eighth of a mile of the waters. One of our party attempted
to reach it on foot, but could get very little nearer. We made a cir-
cuit of the lake along the slightly elevated ground and could distinctly
see it.

On completing the circle a striking picture met our eyes. Boldly
outlined by the setting sun stood the old man, his hair blown by the
evening breeze, for he had bared his head of the usual kerchief worn
around it, and, with his hand holding the sacred meal extended toward
the glorious sunset, he stood repeating a prayer. We halted, and
he continued his prayer, wholly unconscious of our jiresence; as he
turned we surprised him. I extended my hand and said, " Now I am
happy, for you are again brave and strong." " Yes," said he, " my heart
is glad. I have looked into the waters of my departed people. lam
alive, but I may die ; if I die it is well ; my heart is glad." From that
moment the gloom was gone and he was bright and ha_3py. We could
not induce the old man to ascend the mountain of the Kok-ko with us,
as none go there except certain priests; but the lake is visited by those
who are designated by these priests.

Several days were consumed by us in exploring this immediate vicin-
ity. On breaking camp, our old Indian guide seemed determined to
tarry behind. I remained with him. As the party rode off he took a
large quantity of food which he had carefully stored away behind a
tree — he having observed an almost absolute fast in order to make a
large offering to the spirits of the departed — and heaped this food upon
the embers of the camp fire, by the side of which he stood for a long
time, supplicating in a most solemn manner the spirits of the departed
to receive his offering.

Certain men are selected, who, with bodies nude save the loin skirt
and with bare feet, walk from ZuBi to the lake, a distance of 45 miles,
exposed to the scorching rays of the summer sun, to deposit plume
sticks and pray for rain. If the hearts of those sent be pure and good,
the clouds will gather and rain will fall, but if evil be in their hearts
no rain will fall during the journey and they return with parched lips

544 KELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

and blistered skin. The Kok ko repeat the prayers for raiu with their
intercessions to the Ta-to-tka, the Sun, and by them the plume sticks are
sent to the same great god. So constantly are the lesser gods employed
in offering plumes to the great god that at night the sacred road (the
Galaxy) can be seen filled with feathers, though by day they are in-
visible. They believe that the soul or essence of the plumes travels
over this road, just as the soul from the body travels from Zuni to the
spirit lake, and in their offerings of food the food itself is not received
by the gods, but the spiritual essence of the food.

One of the most important characters in Zuni mythology, the KJik-lo,
finding himself alone in the far Northwest, saw many roads, but could
not tell which one led to his people, and he wept bitterly. The tear
marks are still to be seen on the Kak-lo's face. A duck, hearing some
one's cries, appeared and inquired the cause of the trouble. " I wish
to go to my people, but the roads are many, and I do not know the
right one." The sagacious duck replied, " I know all roads, and I will
lead you to your people." Having led the Kak-lo to the spirit lake, he
said, "Here is the home of the Kok-ko; I will guide you to the kiva
and open for you the door." After entering the kiva the Kak-lo viewed
all those assembled and said, " Let me see ; are all my people here ? No ;
the Ko-lo-oo- wit-si (plumed serpent) is not here;- he must come," and two
of the Kok-ko (the Soot-ike) were dispatched for him. This curious
creature is the mythical plumed serpent whose home is in a hot spring
not distant from the village of Tkap-que-na, and at all times his voice
is to be heard in the depths of this boiling water.

In the days of the old, a young maiden, strolling along, saw a beau-
tiful little baby boy bathing in the waters pf this spring; she was so
pleased with his beauty that she took him home and told her mother
that she had found a lovely little boy. The mother's heart told her it
was not a child really, and so shesaid to the daughter; butthe daughter
insisted that she would keep the baby for her own. She wrapped it
carefully in cotton cloth and went to sleep with it in her arms, In the
morning, the mother, wondering at her daughter's absence, sent a second
daughter to call her. Upon entering the room where the girl had gone
to sleep she was found with a great serpent coiled round and round her
body. The parents were summoned, and they said, "This is some god,
my daughter; you must take him back to his waters," and the maiden
followed the serpent to the hot spring, sprinkling him all the while with
sacred meal. Upon reaching the spring the serpent entered it, the
maiden following, and she became the wife of the Kolo-oo- wit-si.

The Ko lo-oowit-si soon appeared with the two Soot ike who had been
dispatched for him. They did not travel upon the earth, but by the
underground waters that pass from the spring to the spirit lake. Upon
the arrival of the Ko lo-oo-wit si, the Kak-lo issued to this assemblage
his commands, for he is the great father of the Kok-ko. Those who
were to go to the North, West, South, East, to the Heavens, and to the

eTEVENSON.] BIRTH CUSTOMS. 545

Earth to procure cereals for tlie Ah-shi wi he designated as the. Sii-
la mo bl-ya. Previous to this time the Ah-shi-wi had subsisted on seeds
of a grass. " When the seeds are gathered," he said, addressing the
serpent, "you will carry them with water to the Ah-shi-wi and tell
them what to do Mth the seeds. I will go in advance and prepare
them for your coming." " But," said his people, "you are our father;
you must not walk," and the tenKo yeine shi accompanied him, carry-
ing him on their backs, relieving each other when fatigued. The Kak-
lo visited the Ahshiwi nine days in advance of the Sala-mobi-ya and
Ko-lo 00- wit-si, instructing the people regarding the Kok-ko, how they
must represent them in the future and hold their ceremonials, and tell-
ing them that the boys must be made members of the Kok-ko, and that
this particular ceremony must occur but once in four years. He also
gave to the people the history of himself, how the duck had befriended
him and led him to the home of his people.

BIRTH CUSTOMS. *

Having now briefly sketched the mythology relating to the ceremonials
to be described, I invite your attention to the main subject of the pres-
ent paper: the Religious Life of the Zuni Child.

First we will notice the birth customs.

Zuiii child life may be divided into two parts. One I will call the
practical or domestic ; the other, the my thologio or religious. The former
is tiurly exemplified in the habits, customs, games, and experiences of
our own domestic child lifeT The other is essentially different; in it are
involved the ceremonials, legends, and myths which surround the Zuni
child from its birth.

Previous to the birth of a child, if a daughter be desired, the husband
and wife proceed together to the " mother" rock, and at her feet make
offerings and prayers, imploring her to intercede with the great father,
the Sun, to give to them a daughter, and that this daughter may grow
to be all that is good in woman; thatshemay be endowed with the power
of weaving beaiitifully and may be skilled in the potter's art. Should
a son be desired, the couple repair to the shrine above, and here, at the
breast and heart of the "father" rock, prayers and plume sticks are
offered that a son may be given them, and that he may have power to
conquer his enemies, and that he may become distinguished in the Kok-
ko and other orders, and have power over the field to produce abundant
crops. In both cases the sacred meal is sprinkled, anS, should the
prayer not be answered, there is no doubt that the heart of one or the
other was not earnest when the prayer was offered.

The Zuiii child is born amid peremony. At its birth only the maternal
grandmother and two female doctors are present. After the birih of
the child, the paternal grandmother enters, bearing as offerings to the
new born babe a large pottery bowl and inside of it a tiny blanket. She
then prepares warm suds of yucca root in the bowl, in which she bathes
5 ETH 35

546 EELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

the iufaat, at the same time repeating a prayer of thanks for tlie life
that has been given them and praying for the future of the child. She
then rubs the entire body of the child, except the head, with warm
ashes held in the palm of the hand and moistened^ with water. This
process is repeated every morning during infancy and the same paste
is put upon the face of the child until it is several years old. I would
remark that this paste is seldom noticed upon the older children be-
cause it is put on ill the morning and drying soon is brushed off' by
the child. It is asserted by the Zuiii that in four days after the birth
of a child the first skin is removed by exfoliation and is supplanted by
a new one. After applying the ashes, the paternal grandmother places
the infant in the arms of the maternal grandparent, who performs other
offlces for the little one and wraps it in a piece of cotton cloth. The
paternal grandmother prepares a bed of warm sand by the right side
of the mother (leaving a cool spot for the child's head) ; she then receives
the infant and lays it upon its bed, and over it she arranges the little
blanket which she brought; she then places upon the sand and at the
right side of the child an ear of white corn; if the child be a girl, the
mother, or a three-plumule, corn is selected ; if a boy, the father, or single
ear, corn. The fourth day after the birth the child is again bathed in
the yucca root suds by the same grandmother, who again repeats a long
prayer. During the first ten days of the child's life the paternal grand
mother remains in the daughter inlaw's house, looking after the mother
and helping in the preparation of the feast that is to occur. On the
morning of the tenth day the child is taken from its bed of sand, to
which it is never to return, and upon the left arm of the paternal
grandmother it is carried for the first time into the presence of the
rising sun. To the breast of the child the grandmother carrying it
presses the ear of corn which lay by its side during the ten days ; to
her left the mother of the infant walks, carryiog in her left hand the
ear of corn which lay by her side. Both women sprinkle a line of
sacred meal, emblematic of the straight road which the child must
follow to win the favor of its gods. Thus the first object which the
child is made to behold at the very dawn of its existence is the sun,
the great object of their worship; and long ere the little lips can lisp
a prayer it is repeated for it by the grandmother.

The Zuni are polytheists; yet, while they have a plurality of gods,
many of whom are the spirits of their ancestors, these ^ods are but
mediums through which to reach their one great father of all — the Sun.

Eeturning to the house, the paternal grandmother again bathes the
child in yucca suds ; then, for the first time, the little one is put into
the cradle. The baby's arms are placed straight by its sides, and in
this position it is so strapped in its cradle that it cannot even move a
hand. These cradles have hood-shaped tops, and over the whole thick
coverings are placed, so that the wonder is the child does not smother.
The cradle is usually deposited in some safe corner, and the baby is left

BTEVENEON-.J INVOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO. 547

to sleep or amuse itself with its infantiae thoughts. The cradle is some-
times attached to two ropes to form a swing, and when the mother be-
comes conscious of the child's awakening she uncovers its head at
times and the tiny thing casts its eyes around. On the tenth morning
both parents of the child are bathed in suds of yucca, tbe whole body
of the mother but only the head of the father. This of&ce is also per-
formed by the paternal grandmother. The immediate blood relations
(female only) ttieu assemble at the infant's home; that is, all the house-
hold of the father's house and those of the mother's house. Each woman
from the father's house brings to the baby a gift of a little blanket.
This select gathering partakes of a feast, which is presided over by the
maternal grandmother. At the close of the feast the infant is carried
by the oldest sister of the father to the paternal grandmother's house,
where it is presented to the paternal grandfather, who prays to the Sun
(Ya-to tka) to send down blessings upon the child.

INVOLTJNTAEY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO.

The present ceremonials are in direct obedience to the orders and in-
structions given at the time of the appearance of the Kok-ko upon the
eartli, and their masks are counterparts of the original or spiritual
Kok-ko (Plate XX). The Kak-lo rides, as of old, upon the backs of the
Ko-ye-me-shi, and he is the heralder for the coming of the Ko-lo-oowit-si.
Arriving at the village in the morning, he divides his time between the
kivas, there being six of these religious houses in Zuni, one for each of
the cardinal points, one for the zenith, and one for the nadir. In each
of these kivas he issues to the people assembled the commands of the
Kok-ko and gives the history of the Kak-lo and the gathering of the
cereals of the earth by the Sa-la-mo-bi-ya. At sunrise he is gone. The
morning after the arrival of the Kak-lo, those who are to represent the
Kok-ko prepare plume sticks, and in the middle of the same day these
are planted in the earth. The same night they repair to their respective
kivas, where they spend the following eight nights, not looking upon
the face of a woman during that period. Each night is spent in smok-
ing and talking and rehearsing for the coming ceremony. The second
day all go for wood, bringing it home on their backs, for so the ancients
did when beasts of burden were unknown to them. The third day is
also spent in gathering wood, and the fourth day likewise. On the
same day the ten men who are to personate the Ko-ye-me-shi, in com-
pany with the *Si-*sI-*ki (great-grandfather of the Ko-ye me-shi), pass;
through the village, inquiring for the boys who are to be initiated ; be-
fore such houses as have boys ready for this ceremonial these men
assemble; one of them enters the house and, greeting the mother of
the boy with " Good morning," inquires the name of her son. She re-
plies : " He has no name," and requests the Ko-ye-me-shi to give him^
one. The man then joins the group, repeating the words of the woman..
In passing from the kiva through the village'the Indian screens hia

548 RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

face with a blanket, so as not to see tbe women as he passes. On the
fifth day they go on a rabbit hunt, the capture of but one rabbit being
necessary. The rabbit is carried to the He-i-i-que (or Kiva of the Xorth)
by the *Si-*si *ki, who, after skinning the rabbit, fills the skin with cedar
bark j a pinch of meal is placed for the heart and the eye sockets are
filled with mica ; a hollow reed is passed through the inside filling to
the mouth. The sixth day the inmates of the kivas again go for wood;
the seventh day large Te-liktki-na-we are made of eagle plumes; the
eighth day is consumed in decorating the masks to be worn. As these
people have not the art of mixing their pigments so as to be permanent,
masks and altars have to be freshly decorated before using; and, wheii
the masks are completely decorated, they, with the other parapliernalia,
are carried on the same day by the men and youths who have to wear
them to some secluded nooks among the rocks, a distance from the
town, where they put them on, returning to the village by early moon-
light.

The impressive ceremonial of initiating the youth into the order of
the Kok-ko occurs but once in four years. No male child above the age
■of four years may, after death, enter the Kiva of the Kok ko unless
he has received the sacred breath of the Kok-ko. Those who personate
the Kok-ko are endowed for the time being with their actual breath.
Besides the Sii-la-mo-bl-ya of the North, West, South, East, Heavens,
and Earth, and annraber of younger brothers who appear on this occa-
sion, there are Pa-oo-ti-wa (Plate XX), father of the Sun, ten Ko-ye-me-
shi, and the Ko-lo-oo- wit-si.

The Sa-la-mo-bi-ya of the North wear yellow (hlup-si-na) masks; those
from the West, blue (hli-an-na); those from the South, red (shi-lo a) ;
those from the East, white (ko-hau) ; those from the Heavens, all colors
(I-toponan-ni); those from the Earth, black (quin-na). (Plate XXI.)
These colors represent the cardinal iioints, the zenith, and the nadir:

North.

Yellow.

Hlup-si-na.

West.

Blue.

Hli-au-na.

South.

Red.

Shi-lo-a.

East.

White.

Ko-han.

Heavens.

All colors.

I-to-po-niin-ni,

Earth.

Black.

Quin-na.

They come after sundown to the village. The serpent, made of hide,
is about twelve feet long and eighteen inches through the thickest part
of the body. The abdomen is painted white, the back black, covered
with white stars, which are represented by a kind of semicircle, an en-
tirely conventional design. The neck rests through a finely decorated
kind of altar carried by the two Soot-ike. The tail end of the fetich is
held by the priest of the Ko-lo-oo wit-si, who constantly blows through a
large shell which he carries in the right hand, holding the serpent with
the left. The Kok-ko pass through the town and visit eaclikiva; they
put the head of the serpent through the hatchway, that those who are

STEVEXsox.] INVOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO. 549

privileged to assemble iu the kivas may see the fetich. The Kolo-
oowit-si is then taken to the Kiva of the Earth, He-tka-pa-que. The
walls of this kiva are decorated with two Ko-lo-oo- wit-si, which extend
almost around the entire walls of the room, the heads nearly meeting
at the north end of the room. The fetich is placed between the heads.
The others of the Kok-ko repair to their respective kivas, the He-i-i-que
or Kiva of the North, the Moo-he-i-que or Kiva of the West, the Ghoo-
pa-a-que or Kiva of the South, the Oh-he-i-que or Kiva of the East, and
the Oop-tsan-a-a-que or Kiva of the Heavens. Prom each of these
kivas men and youths from the secret orders to which I have referred
are assembled to receive the Kok-ko. When all the Kok-ko have gone
to their kivas, the ten Ko-ye-me-shi, who reach the village after the
others, go to their house, which is not one of the sacred assembly houses,
but chosen from among the Sus-ki-i-que, or people of the Wolf gens.

The Kok-ko sing and dance iu their own kivas, then change about,
those of the North passing to the West and those of the West going to
the South, and so on. This is continuous until the first white streak
warns them that day is approaching. At this time the head of the
Ko-lo-oo-wit-si^is put through the opening in the side wall of the kiva,
when all who choose may look upon it. Behind this creature the old
priest stands and blows through the body, making the same peculiar
noise, representing the roaring of a sea monster, that he has kept up
throughout the night. The image is only seen by the uncertain light
of the faintest impression of day. Pa-oo-ti-wa remains with the Ko-lo-
oo- wit-a in the Kiva of the Earth. At sunrise the Sa la-mo bl-ya gO'
to this kiva, each bearing the plume stick made on the sixth day and.
an ear of corn. The Sa-la-mobi-ya of the North first advances to the
priest of the Ko-lo-oo-wit-si and, presenting him with the plumes andi
ear of yellow corn, prays that the Ko-lo-oo-wit-si will give to his people-,
the seeds of the earth; the Sa-la-nio-bT-ya of the West next approaches,,
presenting his wand and an ear of blue corn, praying that the Ko-lo-
oo-wit-si will bring to his people the seeds of the earth; and so the reel
coi'n of the South, the white of the East, the all-color of the Heavens
and the black of the Earth are presented with the same prayer. The
Sa-la-mo-bi-ya remove their masks after entering the kiva, when they
immediately lose their identity as the Kok-ko. They are merely men
now, praying to the Kok-ko. This ceremony over, they return to their
respective kivas, having put on their masks before leaving the Kiva of
the Ea.rth,

At this time the *3i-*si-'ki partially ascends the ladder of the Kiva
of the North, remaioing just inside of the hatchway, and, holding the
rabbit to his month, calls through the reed : " Your little grandfather
is hungry; he wishes something to eat; bring him some stewed meat.''
The Ko-ye-me-shi, in obedience to the request of the little grandfather,
go to the homes of the (ihildren to be initiated, calling for food. At the
same time the Ko-ye-me-shi give to each novitiate his name. Previoas

550 KELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUiVI CHILD.

to tlais the boy ip desiguated as baby boy, youuger boy, older boy, &c.
The food is received by the Ko-ye-me-shi aod taken to the Klva of the
ISTortli, where it is divided and carried to the different kivas. For this
occasion the native beans are prepared. There is as great a variety of
color in these as in the corn. The yellow beans are carried to the Kiva
of the North, the blue beans to tlie Kiva of the West, the red to the
Kiva of the South, the white to the Kiva of the Bast, the all color to
the Kiva of tlie Heavens, the black to the Kiva of the Earth. A sumpt-
uous meal is now served in each of the kivas.

After this meal the Kok-ko begin their bodily decorations, with thtir
bodies almost nude. Those of the North are painted yellow ; those of
the West, blue; those of the South, red; those of the East, white;
those of the Heavens, all colors on the body and yellow on the neck
and upper arms; those of the Earth, black, with some bits of color.
This done, the Sa-la-mo-bi-ya of the North passes through the village,
and, going for a short.distance to the north, deposits a plume stick, the
stick to which the plumes are attached being painted yellow. The
Sa-la-mo-bi-ya of the West, South, and East plant their plumes at their
respective cardinal points. Those for the zenith and nadir are planted
to the west, on the road to the spirit lake, the stick of each one having
the cardinal color decorations. This done, all retire to their kivas.

The Sa-la mo-bl-ya of the North, returning to his kiva, drinks the
medicine water prepared by the priest of the great flre order (Ma-'ke-hlau-
;a a-que), who, with some of his people, is now busy in the preparation
of a sand altar. Tlie Sa-lii-mo-bi-ya again emerge from the kivas,
with long bunches of Spanish bayonet in their hands, in the ends of
which grains of corn of the respective colors are placed and wrapped
with shreds of the bayonet. Any man or youth desiring to raise yel-
low corn appeals to the Sa-lamo-bi-ya of the North, who strikes him a
severe blow with his bunch of bayonets. Similar appeals are made to
those representing other colors. The sand altar is made in the Kiva of
the North. It is flrst laid in the ordinary yellowish sand, in the center
of which the bowl of medicine water is placed. Over the yellow sand
a ground' of white sand is sprinkled. All the Sa-la-mo-bi-ya and their
brothers are represented on the altar (Plate XXII). The altar is circular
in form and some twelve feet in diameter. The Ko-lo-oo-wit-si encircles
the whole.

_ Throughout the day the Kok-ko are Fanning around the village whip-
ping such of the,people as appeal to them for a rich harvest, while the
curious performances of the Ko-yeme-shi carry one back to the primitive
drama.

Toward evening the ceremony for initiating the children begins. The
priest of the Sun, entering the sacred plaza (or square), sprinkles a broad
line of sacred meal fi'om the southeast entrance across the south, side,
thence alongthe western side to the Kivaof the North, and up the laddev-
way to the entrance (which is always in the roof), and then jiassiug over
the housetops he goes to the Kiva of the Earth and sprinkles the meal

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STEVENSON] INVOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO. 551

upon the Ko-lo-oo-wit-si. He then precedes the Kok-ko to the plaza
aucl deposits a small quantity of yellow lueal on the white line of meal
near the eastern entrance. By this spot the Sala-mo bi-ya of the North
stands, south of the line of meal. The priest, continuing- in advance,
deposits a quantity of blue meal on the line a short distance from the
yellow, which indicates the position for the Sii-la-mo-biya of the West.
In like manner he indicates the position of the respective Sala mobi-ya
with red meal for the South, white for the East, meal of all colors for the
Heavens, and black meal for the Earth. The remainder of the Kok-ko
take their positions successively along the line of meal. The Ko ye-me-shi
group in the plaza. The godfathers then pass along the line of meal, each
one holding his godchild on his back by a blanket, which he draws
tightly around him. In olden times tanned robes of the buffalo were
used for this purpose. As he passes the line of Kok-ko each one strikes
the child with his large bunch of Spanish bayonets. While the Indian
from almost infancy looks upon any exhibition of feeling when under-
going physical suffering as most cowardly and unmanly, the severity of
the pain inflicted by the yucca switches in this ceremony is at times
such as to force tears from the eyes of the little ones, but a boy over the
age of five or six rarely flinches under this ordeal. After passing the
line the godparent enters the Kiva of the North, where he is met by a
priest of the great fire order, who asks, " Who is your Kok-ko 1" When
the godfather replies, he is directed to select his boy's plume. The
plumes which ornament the heads of the figures have been previously
wrapped in Corn husks and carried to the priest by the respective god-
fathers. The godfather attaches the feather, which is a soft, downy
feather of the eagle, to the scalp-lock of the child. The godparent is
then given a drink of the holy water, which is dipped from the bowl by
the medicine man with a shell attached to a long reed. The child also
drinksand repeats a prayer after his sponsor. They then leave the kiva,
and, taking a position on the north side of the plaza, the child kneels
and clasps the bent knee of his godfather, who draws him still closer
with the blanket around him. Four new characters of the Kok-ko now
appear, the Sai-a-hli-a (see Plate XX). Each one of these strikes the
child four times across the back with his yucca blades, having first
tested with his foot the thickness of the child's clothing. The child
must not have anything over his back but the one blanket, which is a
gift from the godfather. This ceremonial over, each child accompanies
his godparent to his home, where a choice meal is served.

The night ceremonial is conducted in two kivas, that of the South
and that of the Bast. The Kok-ko for this ceremony divide and enter
the two kivas.

The godparents sit upon the stone ledge which passes around the
room, whose walls are rectangular, and, spreading his knees, the boy sits
on the ledge between them. To the right of the guardian his wife sits,
and to his left his sister. In case the wife is not present, the older sister

552 RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

sits on the right and a younger sister on the left. The ftither of the Sun
(Pa-oo-tl-wa) enters and sits upon the throne which has been arranged
for him at the west end of the room ; this has a sacred blanket attached
to the wall and one to sit upon, the whole profusely ornamented with
white scarfs, woven belts, and many necklaces of turquoise and other
precious beads. To his right and left sit the two young priests who
prepared the throne; to the left of the priest, on the left of Pa-oo-tl-wa,
sit the high priest and priestess of the 'Earth. The remainder of the
ledge is filled with the boys and their friends. Naiuchi, the living rep-
resentative of Ah-ai-u-ta, the war god,, sits to the left of the fire altar
as you enter and feeds the sacred flames. The Sa-la-mO bl-ya enter
immediately after Pa oo-tl-wa. All these, including Pa-oo-tl-wa, enter
head foremost; the head touches the stone slab over the fire, and, com-
pleting a somersault, they vault into the room on' all fours and in like
manner jjass to the right of the kiva and around to their places. Pa-
ootl-wa is followed by the Sa-la-mO-bi-ya of the North and others in
proper order and rapid succession, the hind one always hopping into the
foot and hand prints of the former. In the two kivas mounds of sand
have been laid for the Kok ko and each one sits upon his mound. These
mounds are some eighteen inches in diameter and a foot in height (Plate
XXIIl). When all have taken their places the Sa-lamo-bi-ya of theNorth
arises and taking the wand from his mound walks to the group immedi-
ately to the right of the ladder as one enters. Holding the wand betweea
his hands, he goes to each child and blows four times upon the wand,
at the same time extending it toward the mouth of the child, who draws
from it each time the sacred breath which passes from the mouth of
the Kok-ko over the plumes. The *Si-'sI-%i carries the rabbit in addi-
tion to the wand, and over them he passes the sacred breath of the
little grandfather. The godparent covers the eyes of the child with
his hand, for the children must not look upon the Kok-ko near by. The
Sa-la-mo-bi-ya of the North is followed by the Sa-la-mo-bT-ya of the West
and others, all In turn going to each child ; as each one completes the
round he places his wand in his belt, stands in the center of the kiva,
and turns a somersault over the fire, striking his head on the fire slab
as before, and so leaves the kiva feet foremost.

The Ko-lo-oo-wit-si now appears at the hatchways. He is brought
by the priest of the Ko-lo-oo-wlt-si and the Soot-!ke. The high priest,,
the priest of the bow, and priestess of the earth advance to the hatch-
way, each holding a large earthen bowl, and catch the water poured
from the mouth of the Ko-lo-oo-witsi. Each guardian then fills the
small bowl which he carries with the holy water and, drinking a portion
of it, gives the remainder to the boy to drink. The bowl which con-
tains it is a gift from the godfather. The boy sprinkles the corn stacked
in his house with this water. After the water is exhausted from the
large bowls a blanket is held by four men to catch the seeds of all the
cereals which are sent up from the abdomen of the Ko-looo-wit si-

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6TEVENB0N.) ^VOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO. 553

These are taken from the blankets by three priests and placed in their
own blankets, which rest over the left arm, and they, passing around,
distribute the seeds to all present. The sand of the fallen mounds is
gathered in a blanket and deposited in the river, to be carried to the
home of the Kok-ko. The boys now return to their homes, accompanied
by the guardian and one other of their attendants. In the early morn-
ing the sister of the godfather goes for the boy and brings him to her
house, where he enjoys a sumptuous breakfast. The godfather then
leads the boy to the east for some distance from the village, sprinkling
a line of sacred meal, and here he says a prayer, which the boy repeats
after him, and the godfather, making a hole in the ground, plants a
plume stick which he has made for the child.

From this time the child eats no animal food for four days. The
plume which has been placed on the child's head in the kiva during the
initiation is not removed till the fourth morning after the planting of
the feathers, when he again goes over the road with his guardian, who
deposits the i)lume from the child's head with a prayer, which is re-
peated by the child.

Thus ends this remarkable initiation of the Zuni male child into the
order of the Kok-ko. This is really mainly done by sponsors, and he
must personally take the vows as soon as he is old enough.

VOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KOK-KO.

After the iirst initiation of a boy into this order, he is left to decide
for himself when he will assume the vows made for him by his sponsors,
though the father and the godfather do not fail to impress upon the
boy the importance of the second initiation, which occurs at an annual
ceremonial ; and when the boy has declared his determination to enter
the order, if the Kokko upon seeing him deem him too young, he is
ordered to return to his home and wait awhile till his heart has become
more wise. For this ceremonial the godparents and the boys assemble
in the Kiva of the North. Each boy in turn takes his position to receive
his whipping, which is necessary for initiation. The godfather, standing,
bends his right knee, which the boy clasps, bowing his head low. The
godfather holds the two ends of the blanket and buckskin tightly
around the boy, while each of the four Saia-hlia in turn give him four
strokes across the back with a bunch of the yucca blades. Two of the
Ko-ye-meshi stand by and count the strokes; the others are in the plaza
outside, indulging in their primitive games, which excite much merri-
ment among the large assemblage of people. After each boy has re-
ceived the chastisement and all. are again seated, the four Sai-a-hli-a
pass in turn to each boy. Bach one taking off his mask, places it over
the head of the boy, handing him his Spanish bayonets. The boy strikes
the Kok-ko once across each arm and- once across each ankle. The
Kok-ko does not speak, but the boy is instructed bj"- his guardian, who
talks to him in a. whisper, telling him not to be afraid, but to strike

554 RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUNI CHILD.

hard. The eyes of the boys open wide as the Kok ko raise their masks
and for the first time familiar faces are recognized. The Kok-ko leave
the kiva after revealing their identity to the children, and running
around the village nse their switches indiscriminately, with a few ex-
ceptional cases. I saw a woman whipped, she taking the babe from
her back and holding it in her arms. This woman requested the whip-
ping that she might be rid of the bad dreams that nightly troubled her.
After the Sai ahli-a leave the kiva the children are called by the priest
of the Kok-ko and told to sit in front of him and the other priests,
including the High Priest of Zuni. This august body sits in the kiva
throughout the ceremony. The Priest of the Kok-ko then delivers a
lecture to the boys, instructing them in some of the secrets of the order,
when they are told if they betray the secrets confided to them they
will be punished by death; their heads will be cut off with a stone
knife; for so the Kok-ko has ordered. They are told how the Kok-ko
appeared upon the earth and instructed the people to represent them.
The priest closes by telling the children that in the old some boys be-
trayed the secret and told that these were not the real gods, but men
personating the Kok-ko, and when this reached the gods the Sai-a hli-a
appeared upon the earth and inquired for the boys. Th& people then
lived upon the mesa ta-wa-yal-lan-ne. The mothers declared they knew
not where they had fled. The Kok-ko stamped his feet upon the rocky
ground and the rocks parted, and away down in the depths of the
mountain he found the naughty boys. He ordered them to come to him
and he cut off their heads with his stone knife. This story is sufi&cient
to impress the children that there is no escape for them if they betray
the confidence reposed in them, for the Kok-ko can compel the rocks
to part and reveal the secrets.

A repast is now served to the priests and the boys and others in the
kiva. The food is brought by the wives and sisters of the four Sai-a
hli-a to the hatchway and carried iu by the Kok-ko, who have returned
to the kiva. The feast opens with a grace said by the priest of the
Kok-ko, who immediately after collects upon a piece of He-wi (a certain
kind of bread) bits of all the food served. This he rolls up and places
by his side, and at the conclusion of the feast he carries it to a distance
from the village over the road to the spirit lake and making a hole in
the ground he deposits it as an offering to the gods. Each child goes
to the godfather's house, where his head and hands are bathed in
yucca suds by the mother and sisters of the godfather, they repeating
prayers that the youth may be true to his vows, &c. The boy then
returning to his own home is tested by his father, who says, "You are
ho longer ignorant; you are no longer a little child, but a young man.
Were you pleased with the words of the Kok-ko 1 What did the priest
tell you?" The boy does not forget himself and reveal anything that
was said, for the terror overhanging him is too great.

When a youth is selected to personate the Kok-ko he is instructed

sTEVExsox.l VOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THK KUK-KO. ' 555

ill regard to the decorating of tlie mask lie is to wear. Wlieu this is
done he goes at night to the proper kiva and seated between two in-
structors he learns the song and prayers. In committing songs and
prayers to memory the novice hoMs a tiny crystal between his thumb
and foreflinger for a while, then he puts it into his mouth, and at the
conclusion of the instruction he swallows it. This insures the remem-
brance of the prayers and songs, and he awakes the following morning
with them indelibly impressed upon his mind. The pupil is then struck
across each arm and across each ankle with the yucca blades.

There are very few women belonging to the order of the Kok-ko. I think
there are now only five In Zuni. When a woman of the order becomes
advanced in age she endeavors to find some maiden who will take upon
herself the vows at her death. Selecting some young woman, she appeals
to her to be received into the order of the Kok-ko. The maiden replies,
" I know nothing concerning the mysteries of the order. You must
talk to my father." After the father is spoken to, he in turn spends the
night in explaining the duties of the position to his daughter and that
the gods would be displeased if she should marry after joining the
Kok-ko. Assuming the Kok-ko vows is entirely optional with the girl.
It is never her duty, but a special privilege which is rarely accepted.
If she accepts' she passes through both ceremonials described. She
chooses her godfather, who gives her for the first ceremony a woman's
blanket and for the second a woman's dress, a white blanket, a quantity
of blue yarn, a woman's belt, a buckskin, a sacred blanket, and the mask
she is to wear. But even here in Zuni, where the people are so con-
trolled by the priests and have such a superstitious dread of disobey-
ing the commands of the Kok-ko, women have beeu guilty of desecrat-
ing their sacred office and marrying. At present there is a woman of
the order of the Kok-ko married to a Navajo. She is of course forever
afterwards debarred from joining in the ceremonials, but she is permit-
ted to live among her people with no other punishment than their indig-
nation.

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